Anderson To Leave Manchester United To Join Brazilian Club Internacional, Suggests Juan Mata

Featured Stories

Manchester United player Juan Mata has confirmed that the side’s struggling midfielder Anderson will leave Old Trafford to join Internacional in a deadline day transfer.

The 26-year-old joined the Red Devils from Portuguese side Porto in 2007, but despite a resume boasting of four Premier League titles, one Champions League medal and two league cups amongst others, the Brazilian international has failed to establish himself in the club’s starting line-up, and has a mere 70 league starts to his name.

And Mata suggests that the player is now on the verge of ending his seven-and-a-half year stint in England, as Anderson closes on a deal to return to his native land with Internacional, having formerly played for their arch-rivals Gremio in his initial footballing years.

“Also, I want to wish good luck to my friend Anderson, who is back to football in his native Brazil. All the best, my friend”, the Spanish international added as a PS in his official blog.

Though a deal has not yet been put to paper, it is expected that the player is leaving on a free transfer as his contract at Manchester United was due to expire in summer this year, and a new deal was not offered.

It was reported that Anderson underwent a fitness test at Porto-Alegre this weekend, though an official confirmation on the same is yet not available after the player had his first physical session with club’s fitness co-ordinator Elio Carravetta.

Anderson came to United amidst much hype, and managed to live up to the reputation in his first year at Old Trafford, where he converted a spot-kick during the side’s Champions League final penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea in 2008.

But things went south from there on for the young player, who fell out of favour under former manager David Moyes, resulting in a six-month loan deal to Italian side Fiorentina in January last year.

However his time in the Serie A proved to be as unsuccessful, but Internacional president Vitorio Piffero insists that Anderson will be able to re-establish his career back in Brazil, and hopes that the signing would prove fruitful.

“We know the player. I have spoken to him and am sure we will see the Anderson we all remember”, he was quoted as saying by the Mirror.